


He's beautiful [when he dances]

by D_Oak



Category: NCT (Band), WayV (Band)
Genre: A little bit of fluff too I think?, Biting, Confused Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten, Dance Metaphors, Dom/sub Undertones, Eventual Smut, Feelings Realization, Flirting, Friends to Lovers, Hair-pulling, How Do I Tag, Kink Discovery, Light Angst, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Mentioned WayV Ensemble, My First Fanfic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Qian Kun is Whipped, Teasing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:35:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29389221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/D_Oak/pseuds/D_Oak
Summary: He's beautiful when he dances.It's just that...he's always dancing.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun
Comments: 40
Kudos: 75





	1. The Dancer

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic and I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. I've been a reader here for years and have always had ideas for fics floating around in my head. This is the first time I've been inspired to write one and actually sat down to type it up! 
> 
> (btw I don't know how to tag well, and also I marked this as mature cause it might get there eventually? Or maybe explicit? I'll warn in the notes beforehand in case their are readers who would rather avoid that.)

_He's beautiful when he dances._

It's something Kun has always thought, or rather has always known without having to think about. Sometimes he's said it aloud with confidence, proud of the talent and skill that his teammate possesses. But exactly when that certain and effortless five-word fact dropped the last three words and became a bit more vague, a bit blurry around the edges, a bit more question than statement - _He's beautiful...he's beautiful?_ \- Kun can't recall.

And then one day it hits him so suddenly, as he watches Ten laying on their practice room floor, nearly motionless apart from the way his chest moves with deep breaths and his fingers scroll on his phone, scrubbing through choreography videos. It IS only that he's beautiful when he dances. It's just that...Ten is always dancing. Even now, his eyes dance over to Kun standing nearby, staring down at him. His lips dance around a smile, as he gracefully extends a shaped hand in a silent request to be pulled up. Kun blinks dumbly as he's processing his revelation, but luckily his own hand shoots out on reflex, his manners and helpful nature so deeply ingrained into muscle memory that he could never leave someone hanging, despite his mind racing a mile a minute.

 _Yes, Ten is always dancing._ Even in perfect stillness, his aura is full of lyrical motion. In moments of honed focus, his hand guides a pen in seemingly choreographed strokes across a screen, painting dark, bold lines that bend and arch and twirl into a form of his choosing. Even in realms outside of his control - outside of the four mirrored walls of their practice room, outside of the four protected edges of his iPad screen, outside of these spaces of reflection and safety where one can see onesself, where one can make adjustments and edits before presenting a finished piece to the world - he seems to masterfully improvise. Leading when necessary, following when led. Swirling back graciously to vibe in the background when the music is in a foreign tongue (sometimes quite literally). He changes his role in life from strict dance teacher to inspired choreographer, from main dancer/singer/visual/center to supportive and barely-there backup dancer, so naturally that Kun thinks Ten doesn't even realize how amazing this chameleon skill of his actually is.

But while his thoughts are reeling with his own analogy that's gone so far he's starting to confuse himself, he's abruptly interrupted by a swift and strong tug. Before he knows it, he's on his hands and knees, half above a Ten who is now propped up on elbows and absolutely cackling with his head thrown back. The rich, warm sound of his laugh pirouettes all around them. Kun can only stare in disbelief before he scoffs out a laugh and shoves Ten's shoulder, hard but playful. Ten just collapses back down to the floor, back to his first position, continuing his laughing fit. Kun thuds down, laying on his side, finding Ten's laughter contagious despite himself. 

"Rude!" Kun tries to sound indignant through stiffled giggles.

"Oh c'mon Kun, you've been spacing out for a while now! Someone had to wake you up!" Ten rolls to his side to face Kun, his laughter dying down now but his vibrant, accomplished smile remaining.

"Yeah, I guess I have been in need of a wakeup call. Thanks." Kun smiles back sweetly. "You're done for today, right? Let's head back home, come on!" He grunts while sitting up, but gets a bit of a head rush from the quick motion, and stays in a sitting position for a while, arms propped on his bent knees.

Ten rolls up languidly and sits with one hand propping himself up, legs both tucked to one side and his torso twisted a bit to face the boy sitting to his right. He extends his free hand toward Kun, ruffling his hair a bit before shifting his hand down to Kun's shoulder. This position brings their faces closer, and he can look into Kun's eyes with a bit more seriousness.

"Really though, is everything okay? Where has your brain gone to today? Is that big head empty or what?" he keeps his tone light and teasing, shaking Kun's shoulder a bit, but anyone who knows Ten as well as Kun does (which, to be fair, isn't many people) would know that concern is tinging his motions.

Kun suddenly can't meet his eyes, and instead stares down at his own feet. Always so used to being the one to do the comforting, he tends to feel strange when others show this kind of care for him. He appreciates it, it makes him feel like the love he so constantly and warmly gives out is being returned, but at the same time he never knows quite how to thank others for it. Realizing he still needs to give Ten an answer before he really starts to become concerned, he decides on a hint of the truth. Kun never was good at lying, and Ten especially has a knack for seeing right through him.

"I was just mesmerized by what a great dancer you are." the half-truth mixed in with a compliment in a teasing tone should be enough for Ten to let him off the hook. But Ten is always sharper than expected, and so quick to tease everyone, most epecially their group's leader.

"But I hadn't even been dancing for the past, like, 10 minutes? And you were still spacing out that whole time. Was I that good!?" Ten raises an eyebrow and mockingly gasps, shifting his weight to place his hand on his chest in dramatic feigned shock while his other hand still rests on Kun's shoulder. 

Kun is finally able to meet his eyes again, and sees something mischevious in Ten's. It exhillarates him like it always does, and this time he decides to be more like Ten, improvise some choreography on the fly. Reveal the discovery that he had originally planned on hiding - and why not? Was it so secret?

"Ten...you're always dancing." Kun's heart pounds with this admission, but he's able to keep his aloof guise. He had managed a deep and nonchalant half-whisper, and his face decides not to betray him, holding an easy - even flirty - smirk.

Ten seems to be...affected. He tries not to show it, but the way his eyes briefly search Kun's face, and his hand, still on Kun's shoulder, noticibly tightens and then loosenes again as he catches himself - it's too obvious to Kun. 

They've never done this dance before, the steps totally unknown and foreign. Who would lead, and would the other follow?

"So," Ten smirks back, having recovered quickly enough, but his voice doesn't seem to boast his usual confidence as he continues, "does that mean you're always mesmerized by me?" He pulls off a coy, coaxing smile.

"Pfft." Kun dismisses, grabbing Ten's hand to move it from his shoulder so he can stand up. He keeps a loose grip on Ten's wrist as he does so, pulling the dancer up after him. Once they're standing, his hand lingers there a beat longer than really necessary, and he lightly presses his thumb into Ten's pulse point before sliding his fingers down the length of Ten's hand as he lets it go.

He tries not to turn around too quickly as he makes his way toward the door. With his back to Ten he lets his expression go a bit, eyes widening and mouth parting, in disbelief of his own actions, his impromptu dance number. In disbelief of the pounding heartbeat he had inadvertantly felt under his thumb - surely it was his own and not Ten's?

As he opens the door, he hears Ten let out a breath he must have been holding as he continues to stand motionless right where Kun left him. Kun schools his face back into something more blasé, even tries for a slightly seductive tone as he glances over his shoulder.

"Coming?" he breathes the word out, light and airy as his gaze trails up Ten with narrowed eyes.

He sees Ten's jaw drop slightly, and he's unsure whether it's in shock or just that he was intending to respond to the question, words lost somewhere between his parted lips. It's all Kun can do to turn his head back around before he grins widely. He's never felt this confident before, and it's a bit intoxicating. He steps out the door and lets it start to fall closed instead of holding it open like his polite self usually would, hearing a surprised exclamation from Ten followed by rushed steps to catch it.

Ten catches up to Kun where he's already several steps down the hallway. Unexpectedly, Ten stays a pace or two behind. He'd normally be bounding up to Kun and linking arms, or blazing forward and pulling Kun along. But right now, as the air is filled with a certain tension and curiousity, Ten follows.

Kun could get used to this kind of dance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, there it is. I want to write at least one more chapter of this. I might switch POV's so I can wax poetic about Kun too. <3
> 
> Let me know what you think of my very first fic!


	2. The Musician

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten might be over thinking things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day!

Ten knows he's beautiful. When he dances.

He sees the looks of wonder and awe when he's on stage, sees the attraction and even the occasional thinly-veiled lust. He's confident in his abilities, and unafraid to push the envelope, sometimes going so far as to garner looks of shock and fear as he bends his body in unnatural ways for the sake of his physical storytelling. He knows even that which is revolting can be beautiful, when looking at the bigger picture.

He feels the same way about art, often drawing things that others might call gory, violent, or dark. But to him it's not so simple - it's not so black and white (even when it is). _It's...art. It's--_

"Beautiful."

He startles, looking up from where he had been absently drawing on his iPad in a meditative state as he let his mind wander. Kun is smiling down at the drawing, headphones over his ears as he sits two seats down from Ten - apparently pleased with either the drawing or the fact that he's psychic and is finishing Ten's thoughts for him. Ten really hopes it's the former.

Looking back down Ten realizes he doesn't even know what he was drawing, and finds it's indeed something leaning more towards macabre. It appears to be a person under a spotlight, surrounded by a darkness that's filled with eerie faces and disembodied pairs of eyes. Anyone but himself would find it creepy, would neglect to see the elegance and poise of the performer, would fail to notice that some of the apparitions have a vague look of adoration. Light and darkness are playing together.

He finally registers what Kun said. 

"Beautiful?" Ten asks, looking up again across the empty seat between them, but Kun is facing forward now with his eyes closed, seemingly immersed in whatever he's listening to. He didn't hear Ten. And isn't it just like Kun to give a compliment so easily, not expecting anything in return.

Ten is staring at his profile, still somewhat baffled. He thought he had Kun all figured out - that is, until recently. 

Because that look Ten is used to expecting when he's on stage, the look of awe and reverence, he has slowly started noticing it from Kun lately. Now, that isn't necessarily unusual - the members are often impressed with Ten's skill and open about their respect for his performances, even going so far as to cheer and call his stage persona cool or sexy. But Ten has spotted Kun with a hint of that _look_ at completely random times. When he's talking, laughing, teasing one of the younger members, playing with Bella, trying to bribe Louis and Leon into doing tricks, he's subconciously felt Kun's eyes on him in a way they've never been before.

But just as soon as this unusual behaviour on Kun's part finally came to the forefront of Ten's attention - one day a couple weeks back when they were the last two in the practice room - it was gone again just like that. Replaced with something else that Ten is having a hard time wrapping his head around. An inexplicable and totally uncalled for confidence, like Kun knows something he doesn't, is holding something over him.

"EARTH. TO. TEN!!!" Yangyang suddenly whisper-yells in his face as he clambers over him into the van and plops his lanky form down right in Ten's line of sight - right in between him and Kun. 

Ten had forgotten where they were for a minute there, waiting in the van after a schedule while YangYang was using the restroom. He's in the second row of seats, with the '99 liners blissfully napping in the back row and Winwin sitting up front playing some mobile game.

He looks at Yangyang with an unimpressed glare, while someone in the back drawls "Huuushh, maann!" in their sleep, disturbed by the youngest's boistrous entrance. Yangyang giggles at them, and then turns to stare expectantly at Ten with a small smile, while Ten just stares back, confused. The maknae finally sighs, leaning awkwardly past Ten to slide the van door shut himself.

"Dude, why are you so spaced out lately?" Yangyang chimes amusedly as the van finally starts rolling. At the words "spaced out" Ten's eyes twitch to Kun. That's how he had described Kun that day in the practice room, and Ten's worried he might hear and tease him for the tables being turned. But then he remembers Kun is lost in headphone-land, and they're speaking in English anyway. He doubts Kun would recognize the slang phrase.

"Whatever, _dude_. Why did you take so long anyway? Baby needed a diaper change?" Ten jabs back, trying to sound teasing instead of mean, but he really just wants to get back to his thoughts. Luckily Yangyang takes the joke, pulling a fake pout and lightly shoving him before leaning forward to bother to Winwin instead.

Through the now empty space where Yangyang had just been, Ten's gaze falls back on the person causing him to be irritable in the fisrt place. He huffs at the peaceful look on Kun's face, and decides to pop his own earbuds in too, leaning back a bit and closing his eyes. Maybe he can get a nap in.

His thoughts, of course, drift back to this strange difference in Kun. The thing is, Kun has every reason to be confident - he's good at everything. He's an amazing leader, a caring friend, a good cook. His musical talent is overwhelming - from his dulcet vocals to his moving compositions and powerful arrangements, Ten adores dancing to the lovely soundscapes that Kun weaves into creation. Ten might be the more accomplished dancer, but Kun's skills are nothing to scoff at either. And while Ten has two additional languages on him, Kun's Korean sounds so fluent and effortless to him - he can't even detect an accent, unlike his own very obviously Thai pronuncation that he hopes comes across as endearing (fans and native NCT members assure him it does). 

When it comes to physical beauty, Kun glows. His smile can light up a room, lift everyone's spirits, and inspire ruthless teasing from those who obviously just can't handle how much he shines. His duality between soft and sharp is so unusual and hypnotic, the two opposing aesthetics blending in a way that just _works_ \- rounded features contrasted by bold, angled brows and a defined jaw, lithe form tucked into tight, ripped jeans countered with an oversized hoodie, sweater paws and all - even Ten has found himself staring on more than one occasion.

For all these reasons and more, Kun _should_ be confident. And he is, when he needs to be. Those who know Kun well, like his six closest friends, know it doesn't come naturally to him. He's one of the more vulnerable members of their group, always the first to lower his walls when he feels comfortable enough to do so. It makes it all the more impressive that he can draw up his confident persona when it counts, when he's representing the group in meetings with producers or creative teams, when he's proudly introducing his WayV family to NCT members they haven't met yet, when he's assuring a homesick group mate that everything is going to be alright. 

So it's not that Ten is upset about this confidence, on the contrary - Ten has always found this facet of Kun particularly magnetic. Especially when they're performing, in front of fans, in front of cameras. When Kun is fully in his element, singing to music he wrote, surrounded by people he loves, Ten knows that glowing aura and commanding presence is no longer just a front. It's in those moments that it electrifies him the most, pulling him into Kun's alluring orbit, making it feel like he's dancing just for Kun. But that part of Kun has never been solely directed at Ten before. And now that it is, Ten doesn't really know how to handle it. 

Ten shudders, and he doesn't know if it's from his thoughts or from the strange draft he's started feeling. He shakes it off, _Whatever, this is ridiculous. This is like some kind of cat and mouse game. And I'm definitely a cat, right?_ he breathes out a smug, soundless laugh through his nose, and feels his confidence boost back up as he vaguely registers shifting sounds in the van, lost in his reverie.

Suddenly, he feels a warm hand on his knee, another at his shoulder, and a puff of hot breath on the side of his face, like someone is leaning in. Ever slow to act, he takes his earbud out lazily, getting ready to swat Yangyang away. But just as he opens his eyes, he hears a taunting voice in imperfect English, too close to his ear.

"Earth. to. Ten~~."

He snaps his head to the right just in time to see Kun's cocky smile before the van door slides shut in his face. A muffled, deep laugh trails off as he stares at his own reflection in the tinted window, looking pathetically shocked. Realizing he's been left alone in the van, and that Kun has caught him off guard twice now, his reflection morphs into a pout as he speaks out loud to no one in particular.

"But I'M the cat..."

_...right!?_

\-----

Deleted Scene:

Hendery wakes up to the sound of the van door closing, finding himself alone in the back seat with only Ten left in the van. Before he's fully awake, Hendery hears Ten say something strange.

"Wait, Ten ge, you're a cat!? I KNEW IT!!"

"Yes, and you're a donkey. You got ditched too? Let's go get tteokbokki without those jerks."

Hendery smiles wide, feeling a lot more awake with the prospect of food.

"Okay, but you have to tell me about your magical Animorph powers over dinner."

15 minutes later, Hendery is still begging Ten to transform in front of him as they ride up the dorm elevator, carrying seven to-go containers brimming with delicous food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this wasn't too rambl-y, I wanted to rein it in a bit but I also wanted to post it while it was still Valentine's Day in my timezone!
> 
> If you haven't noticed by now, I'm a big fan of run on sentences and overuse of hyphens. Also my work is totally not beta read so please let me know if you find any glaring errors!


	3. More like a kitten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kun takes some time to delve into what he's feeling, Ten starts to have fun with his role in their little game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning...it's starting to get a little racy. Still nothing explicit, but it might get there in the next chapter (if I'm confident enough to write one!).

Kun walks away from the van laughing to himself. He doesn't know what's come over him, he would normally be appalled with himself if he closed a door in someone's face. But the look on Ten's face, even if he could barely see it through their heavily tinted windows, was so worth it. 

As he reaches the door of their building, he sees Ten and Hendery hop out of the van and head off down the street, probably going to one of their nearby favorite spots for food. He'd like to believe that Ten also needs the extra time to calm down from what just occurred. 

Kun sends a quick message in their group chat that they'd better get food for everyone. The rest of the boys chime in with menu requests, and Hendery replies with a sticker of a cat winking and pointing finger guns. Kun can only hope it means they'll be bringing back dinner. 

Finally back in the dorm after a long day, he plops down on the couch while everyone else fights over who gets to shower first. He doesn't mind waiting, he's in such a good mood lately, mostly thanks to his recent epiphany. 

You see, Kun has discovered it feels incredibly freeing to be honest with yourself. Kun finds Ten beautiful. Not just when he's dancing, but all the time. He knows that realizing this, fully admitting it to himself, should probably be scary or worrisome but he can't help but feel euphoric. It's as if a weight has been lifted, or an obscured, blurry picture has suddenly become crisp and clear, pleasing to the eye. 

Kun's also discovered that he finds Ten's flustered face particularly addictive. He finds himself plotting how he can elicit the responses he's begun to crave from Ten - the way his cheeks are momentarily dusted in a soft pink, his eyelashes flutter as he blinks rapidly, his lips part soundlessly in shock. It's a heady feeling to know that he can even draw out this kind of reaction in the first place, that he has that power. 

What Kun hasn't fully understood is what this all means about himself, but he honestly doesn't feel any need to figure that out. He's attracted to Ten, and that's all he really needs to know for now. As far as Ten's preferences, he's never officially told the group anything, but he's also never shied away from obvious remarks and actions either. Kun is pretty certain he's had experiences with some of their NCT members - though he doesn't know to what extent - and he wonders about SuperM too. It's no secret how much Ten looks up to Taemin as a dancer, and Kun has always wondered if there was something more to his admiration, wondered if it was reciprocated at some point during all the time SuperM spent touring and filming together. 

Kun leans his head back into the couch and lets his gaze unfocus on the ceiling, wanting to think about this more, to further unpack his feelings. What if something did happen between Ten and Taemin, or any other person, recently? How does he feel about it...jealous? Upset? Resentful? He starts to imagine the two together, and all he knows is that he's starting to feel too warm. With two such talented dancers, who would lead? He remembers the way Taemin lifted Ten up in a video clip after they danced together to one of his songs. Kun must've replayed it 50 times when he first saw it, and that thought makes something click. He's not jealous. It's a similar sensation to how he feels when NCT members get more lines than him, when someone else is picked for a subunit over him. He's happy for them, of course, excited for them, but also wants so badly to be them. He feels an incredible longing as he pictures himself there, in the music video, on the stage. Wonders what it feels like for them. He pictures himself lifting up Ten just like Taemin did. 

His hand tightens where it rests against his thigh. Fingers catch on threads, nails digging into his skin through one of the aesthetically placed rips in his tight jeans. He can feel how warm his skin feels compared to his hands that had recently been out in the cold air. Can feel himself slipping slightly out of control and is a little glad that by the time it's his turn to shower, the water will most likely be cold. He lets his nails press harder into his thigh to regain some semblance of lucid thought, but he's not sure if the mild pain is serving to help him or just dragging him further under. Maybe he should move to his room...Yangyang had followed Lucas and Winwin into their room and Xiaojun is currently in the shower so-- 

The keypad to the front door sounds, and Kun braces himself for the blast of cold air. It makes his scalp tingle, or maybe that's the sound of Ten's melodic laugh as he and Hendery crowd into the entryway with several bags. Kun arches his neck even further back on the couch to gaze at them, upside down. His vision is still slightly unfocused, causing the entryway light to give off an ethereal glow behind them. 

"Go set this all up in the kitchen and then maybe I'll show you," Ten laughs an order at Hendery, who looks unnaturally eager to please. 

"I'm on it right meow!" Hendery wiggles his eyebrows, grabbing all the bags from Ten and rushing off. Ten is taking his time removing his coat, hanging it nicely, removing his shoes, even arranging the messy pile all the others left their stuff in when they burst through the door earlier. Kun doesn't know if he's intentionally putting on a show or just stalling, or if he even knows that Kun is watching him. He doesn't wait to find out. 

"Ten," Kun calls softly, not actually wanting to startle him this time, his voice low from the way his neck is stretched. 

"Kun ge," Ten answers easily before glancing over, he must have already known Kun was there in the darkened living room. Everyone had scattered so quickly earlier, and Kun didn't bother to turn on any lights before he sat down. As Ten approaches, the automatic light in the entryway shuts off, leaving only the light from the kitchen around the corner casting a dim glow on them. 

Ten stops, standing just behind the couch, staring down at Kun. He's within reach, Kun's brain supplies for some unfathomable reason. 

"You only call me that when you want something," Kun replies to the use of the honorific. Ten swallows, and Kun finds himself staring at the movement of his throat. On reflex Kun swallows as well, mirror-neurons firing into action. He notices how Ten's eyes trail to his throat, and then away again almost reluctantly. Maybe it's just the lighting, but Ten's eyes look incredibly dark and Kun feels a little like he's falling into them, the odd angle he's at adding to the sensation. 

"Maybe I do want something," Ten says, and Kun could swear it came out like a purr. Ten's gaze drifts down to where Kun's fingers are still tangled in the ripped denim threads at his thigh, his expression a little curious. 

Kun finally sits up in order to see what Ten is looking at. He pulls his hand away and wonders if Ten can see the red marks his nails had left behind in this dim lighting. He turns around to kneel on the couch and face Ten properly, forearms resting on the back of it. He feels a little dizzy from the motion, from the electrified air buzzing between them, from the darkness of the room that's making this moment feel surreal - like it doesn't count, like it's a dream. 

"And what is it you _maybe_ want?" Kun questions, and his heart is in his throat but his blood is elsewhere. 

They hear Hendery's footsteps approaching but neither of them can quite look away, locked in a staring match unlike any they've had before, gazes flitting between plush lips, flushed cheeks, dark eyes. As the steps get closer - Hendery must be right around the corner - Kun dares to lean in close to Ten with a warm whisper. 

"Hmm? Cat's got your tongue?" 

Kun pulls away, seeing Ten shiver, right as Hendery flips on the living room light. 

"What are you guys doing in the dark? Food's all set out and ready to eat!" he gives them a questioning look as he heads towards the hall, pounding on the bathroom door on his way to the occupied bedroom to round up the rest of the members. 

Kun's eyes still haven't left Ten, who had blinked and squinted when the light was turned on, seemingly snapped out of whatever altered state they had shared in that dark, still moment. His eyes had followed Hendery down the hall and just came back to land on Kun again. In that moment, Kun saw a spark of resolve in Ten's eyes. 

"You wanna know what I want?" Ten said with a coy smile, motioning Kun to lean in close again. Kun was caught a bit off guard, not expecting their conversation to actually continue in the direction it had been going. Nonetheless, Kun leans in expectantly. 

"I want..." Ten begins in a sultry whisper, staring at Kun's lips, "to eat dinner!" he finishes with a laugh, and hops off towards the kitchen. 

Just before walking out of sight, he turns back to Kun and puts on an effortlessly smoldering look, pushing his long hair back with one hand. 

"Coming?" he says breathily, holding the burning expression just long enough to round the corner before he absolutely cackles. 

Something ignites in Kun at the way Ten is gleefully mocking his actions from the other day, the day this whole push-and-pull game started. He laughs quietly to himself as he stalks deliberately into the kitchen, knowing once again he only has a few seconds before the rest of them swarm in to descend upon their food. Ten has his back facing him, grabbing a cup from the cabinet. Kun is relieved to see it's a plastic one, as it would've been a pain to clean up broken glass... 

\---- 

Ten is proud of himself, catching Kun off guard for the first time in two weeks, turning the tables back around on him. He's also feeling a bit exhilarated at the look of anger that flashed on Kun's face in reaction to his teasing. He can hear a wry laugh sound from around the corner, hear measured steps approaching. He scrambles to look nonchalant, reaching into a cabinet to grab a cup right as he feels a commanding presence behind him. 

Ten feels a sharp tug of his hair and his stomach drops deliciously. The next thing he registers is the plastic cup he was holding clattering to the floor. Kun's hand is tangled in his hair right at the base of his skull where he had grabbed a handfull and pulled. It was just harsh enough to hurt, well within the realm of the rough-housing they're all used to inflicting on one another, but this time the effect is entirely different. Ten feels like Kun has him right where he wants him - eyes wide, knees weak, and a small ghost of a whimper escaping his lips as Kun presses him into the counter from behind. 

"I dare you to mock me again," Kun says calmly, if a little breathlessly. Ten tries hard not to utterly collapse, not to press back into Kun for support. 

"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it?" he barely manages to sound indignant. Kun responds with a harsher pull of his hair, and Ten's whimper this time is loud, bordering on a moan. He digs his teeth into his own bottom lip to keep from making any more compromising noises. 

"Wanna find out, kitten?" Kun says, so close Ten is pretty sure he felt his lips lightly brush the side of his neck. The combination of that sensation and the pet name has Ten's knees buckling entirely, and he finds himself kneeling with one hand clinging onto the edge of the counter. At the same time Kun lets go and backs off, turning to leave the room right as the rest of the members enter the kitchen, Xiaojun bringing up the rear, drying his hair off with a towel. 

"Kun ge, aren't you gonna eat? I thought you were starving?" Lucas asks, unable to fathom how someone could be leaving the kitchen when it's full of delicious food. 

"I'm gonna shower first, you guys go ahead," he gestures at the table, "Save me some, though! And we'll save you some hot water." 

Ten looks up at Kun like a lost lamb, overwhelmed by what just happened and the sudden commotion right afterwards, not registering what he just implied. Kun is looking down at him expectantly from the doorway of the kitchen, one hand on the threshold. 

"Coming?" he questions pointedly before sauntering off. 

Now everyone else is looking curiously at Ten where he's still kneeling on the floor as they settle in around the table. He meets their questioning eyes and laughs awkwardly, one hand shooting out to pick up the cup before standing up. 

"I dropped... I'm just gonna go with... to--to save the hot water..." he trips over a mix of Mandarin and English as he backs out of the kitchen, before coming back in to set the cup that's still in his hand down on the table. He mumbles something to himself before following off after Kun, his legs still lightly trembling. 

\----

Deleted Scene

"Did he just say, 'I guess I'm a kitten'?" Lucas parrots the English he heard, sending a quizzical look to Hendery who was sitting nearest to him. 

"Ten's an Animorph" Hendery says around a bite of tteokbokki without even looking up, waving his hand dismissively. 

"Ahhh," Lucas looks contemplative as he chews. He suddenly snaps his fingers, eyes going wide as he says excitedly, "Tiger Inside?!" 

"EXACTLY!" Hendery is excited now that someone else is going along with his ridiculous joke. 

"I speak like, four languages, and I still have no idea what you guys are talking about." Yangyang says dryly, while Xiaojun and Winwin just exchange glances and shake their heads, digging into their food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you guys feel about the little deleted scenes? I didn't plan on adding in this kind of silly humor but WayV is so stupidly funny sometimes I couldn't help myself. I just don't want it to take away from any impact the end of each chapter might normally have. What do you think?
> 
> Wish me luck and confidence in writing the next part... I'm really unsure of it!


	4. Cold Showers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten follows Kun into the bathroom, and things happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you know going in, it hasn't quite gotten explicit yet but it's getting there. Can I call this slow burn??  
> FYI the point of view switches back and forth seamlessly in this chapter, and I'll probably continue to write it this way from now on.

Kun walks down the hall, hyper-aware of the lack of presence behind him, but as he reaches the bathroom door he finally hears footsteps following. 

He enters the bathroom, being sure to leave the door just slightly ajar - easy enough to be pulled closed in rejection of his offer, even easier to be pushed open. He's really hoping for the latter. 

Kun catches his own reflection in the mirror and is taken aback at what he sees. He had forgotten he still had makeup on from their schedule, but it's a little smudged around the eyes from when he was "napping" in the van. What had already been a smokey look is now working to add a bit of an unhinged air to him, along with the way his previously slicked back hair has become disheveled, a large section of the ash-blonde strands falling on his face. No wonder Ten had looked a little frightened. He smirks at that thought, and the Kun he sees reflected in the mirror feels so unlike himself...instead it's Kun from a music video, Kun from a photo shoot - Kun who is about to wreck Ten. 

He takes a brief moment to try and think as clearly as he possibly can, given how turned on he is. Does he want this? Yes, _god_ yes. Does he know what he's doing? Not really, but he trusts himself and he trusts Ten who he is pretty sure has more experience, who he knows for a fact will stop him if he needs to. And, does Ten want this? He's about to find out. 

He hears the doorknob jostle, and knows this is the moment of truth. To his delight, the door sways open slowly, cautiously. He's situated himself to the side of the door so he won't be seen right away, and watches as Ten oh-so-carefully and quietly enters the bathroom. 

Ten sees Kun's reflection before he actually sees Kun. Kun is behind him, staring at him with what can only be described as a predatory gaze. He watches mirror-Kun reach a hand out to slide along the door, pushing it closed, reaching the lock and turning it with an echoing click, all without taking his eyes off the back of Ten. It feels surreal to watch Kun through the mirror, like an out-of-body experience, like it's not actually Ten he's staring at. But within moments that feeling is gone as Kun sharply brings Ten back into his body, grabbing him, pulling him towards the wall, pressing him into it - all in one fluid, dizzying motion, like a dance. 

Kun holds himself a foot or so away, but it looks like he wants to be closer, like there's an invisible force field holding him back against his will and he's fighting it. Ten hopes he wins. 

"Did I hurt you?" Kun asks, softly running the fingers of his left hand just above the nape of Ten's neck, right where he had pulled his hair before. The gentleness of the motion is heavily contrasted by the near animalistic look in Kun's eyes - Ten half expects Kun to snap his teeth at him. 

"Yes," Ten responds, and it takes a deep inhale and all of his self control to not sound breathless as he adds, "but not enough..." 

As soon as the words leave Ten's mouth, something in Kun snaps. He pulls, _hard_ , on Ten's hair and surges forward, pressing their bodies together, their faces now just inches apart. Ten moans at the tug and Kun responds in kind with a low groan. He releases Ten's hair, sliding his hand down to grip the side of his neck, lightly pressing his thumb into Ten's throat. Ten's eyes widen, his breath quickens, and Kun stares into his eyes and knows he has to make certain before going any farther. 

"You like a little pain then?" 

"Mmm." 

"That's not an answer," his hand tightens slightly on Ten's neck. 

"Yes, Kun _ge_ ," Ten can't help his breathlessness now, not with the way his airway is being partially restricted, not with the way this is absolutely perfect for him, exactly what he needs. 

"And you want this? You want...me?" Kun slighty hesitates before asking the last part. Consciously he knows Ten wants him, how could he not tell in this situation? But subconsciously this is all so new and uncertain and taboo that he wants, he needs, confirmation. 

Ten smirks and knows he needs to answer seriously despite wanting to tease Kun a bit, "God, yes - _please_." 

Kun leans in to his ear, lips skimming across his cheek on the way, "Tell me if it's too much?" 

"Of course." 

At that, Kun pulls back and smiles - not a smirk, not teasingly, but a beautiful, reassured smile with his dimples on full display. He moves his hand to cup Ten's cheek gently, and brings his right hand to mirror the movement. Held like this, Ten's face flushes and his heart stutters. There's that startled look that Kun loves. He leans close to Ten again as his smile slowly dissolves, is looking into Ten's eyes, is staring at his lips. _Oh,_ Ten thinks. Some silly part of him didn't realize that a kiss is what naturally comes next, and he finds his heart beating faster than a hummingbird at the thought of it, pounding against his ribcage. His eyes sink to Kun's plush lips, slightly parted, waiting - and that glance is all the approval Kun needs to push forward that last couple inches. 

It's electric, the simple press of their lips together, and then a moment later Kun pulls away just enough to tease the edge of Ten's bottom lip with the tip of his tongue, like a whisper of warning before pulling it between his teeth and biting it. Ten's knees are getting weak again, and he moves his hands that had been pressed to the wall, slides them over Kun's shoulders and rests his arms there around Kun's neck. Just as Kun releases his lip, Ten pulls Kun further into him while their lips are both still parted, their tongues finally meeting. Ten makes a low, strained whimper at the contact. 

If the feeling before was electric, kissing this way is magnetic. Their tongues dance around each other for long, drawn out moments, almost never separating except to briefly break the kiss, inhale sharply, and join again. In one of these short interludes, Kun remembers they're supposed to be showering. He pulls fully away this time, but the whine it elicits as Ten leans forward to chase the kiss makes Kun laugh. He pushes Ten's shoulders to press him back against the wall. 

"Fuck, so good," Ten mumbles before trying to move forward again, but Kun tightens his grip on him and keeps him in place. A tingling fear response runs through Ten at the sensation of being held still, of being caught. He loves it. 

"We're supposed to be showering, let me at least turn the water on," Kun explains. 

Ten takes a couple seconds to catch his breath before nodding in agreement. Kun leans in briefly to kiss Ten's cheekbone, light and soft - as if he hadn't just been kissing him devastatingly - before releasing him and walking towards the shower. Ten hopes Kun didn't notice the way he slumped against the wall, the way he might have fallen if it wasn't behind him. 

Kun turns the shower on, leaving the water cold and just barely running. He feels bad for wasting it this way but at least he can minimize the amount and save the hot water. As he's about to turn around he hears Ten, breathing much more steadily now and apparently recovered enough to sound bossy. 

"Use the cold water only, so the others will--" 

"I know, I already did," Kun cuts him off, smiling at how they think so alike when it comes to taking care of others. Ten doesn't show it often, always teasing and joking, but he cares so deeply for the people he loves. He shows it in subtle actions, thoughtful gifts, quiet loyalty and gentle support - ways that you might miss if you're not paying close attention. Kun always notices, is always paying close attention to Ten. For much, much longer than the past couple weeks, he now realizes. He wonders why Ten is so guarded with his feelings, and makes a mental note to ask him about it at some point. 

Kun's back in front of Ten, smiling beautifully, and Ten can't help but smile back. They take a moment to softly laugh and just be in each other's presence, close, comfortable, hands gently roaming each other's arms, shoulders, chests. Neither of them know exactly where things are going from here, but they're excited to find out. 

Just as Kun is leaning back in to ravage Ten with kisses and maybe take things a step further, there's a loud rumbling sound emitting from between them. Ten's eyes go impossibly wide and his face pales in embarrassment. His stomach had growled, is still growling, in a long drawn out grumble. Kun laughs and holds Ten's face in his hands again with a look of utter fondness. 

"Oh, pretty little thing! You really did want to eat dinner, didn't you?" he says sweetly, adoringly, and the color comes back to Ten's face in a warm flush that Kun can feel under his fingertips. Ten looks down, unable to meet Kun's eyes at the moment. 

"I mean, I haven't even eaten since before the schedule. They only had disgusting _fruit_ in the waiting room!" Ten says, his tone getting increasingly petulant at the mention of his mortal enemy. 

"I'm so sorry, I should have realized! I've been so caught up thinking about you, that I forgot to, uh, think about you?" Kun confuses himself with his own sentence, but Ten knows what he means. Kun is always noticing how much the members are eating - or rather _not_ eating - and pulling bags of snacks from thin air like one of his magic tricks whenever he sees that someone has gone more than a few hours between meals. 

"You go eat first, I'll take a super fast shower and be right out to join you. Just tell them you changed your mind," Kun offers, adding after a beat, "We can continue this later, if you want." 

"I do want. Okay, be fast so you can come eat together with us," Ten glances down pointedly before continuing, "and probably leave just the cold water on..." He smirks and makes sure to brush too close to Kun before slipping out the door with a sly wink. 

Kun had jolted and nearly moaned when the back of Ten's fingers brushed against the zipper of his pants. Standing alone in the bathroom now, he looks down and isn't quite surprised to see himself straining against his tight jeans. He sighs, and the newly blossoming sadistic side of him wonders if he should have just kept going despite Ten being hungry. Lucky for Ten, his polite and well mannered side balks at the very thought. 

_Well. Cold shower it is, then._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit shorter (I think? But my phone notes app doesn't have a word count function... I guess I'll check after this posts), and I was going to keep going with it and add smut but I decided to break it up into multiple chapters. I wanted to post this while it's still Ten's bday (on the west coast at least) so here you go! Happy Ten Day!
> 
> Also I've never written a fic before this, let alone smut, so please bear with me while I work up to it.
> 
> Comments and kudos make me so happy! If you're still reading or just found this story, please say hi!


	5. Expectations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucas is smarter than people give him credit for. Ten has some realizations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What was supposed to be a short intro to the chapter became it's own entire chapter, and is actually a little angsty? But fluffy too. You've been warned.
> 
> FYI, nothing explicit yet.

Ten sits down at the table with no fanfare, grabs a takeout container and starts digging in. His hair is dry, if a little disheveled. His skin is obviously not scrubbed clean - if the errant makeup smudges are anything to judge by - but it's flushed as if he were just in a steamy shower. He ignores 4 pairs of eyes staring at him confusedly, 4 pairs of chopsticks paused in various positions - some held between lips, some plunging after a juicy red length of tteokbokki, some pointed at a greasy, empty box in accusation of theft, some held in the air mid-innocent shrug. He had walked into a loud and boisterous conversation, and it would be dead silence right now if not for the way Lucas was completely unfazed by his entrance, still shoveling food into his mouth and mumbling about how delicous it is (for some reason, in Korean - Ten thinks maybe it's so the tteokkbokki itself can understand). 

Lucas finally looks up, and something about him has Ten a little on edge. His smile is a bit too gleeful, and has a hint of a knowing smirk hiding in it. It widens into something more playful as he glances between the members, who have slowly started eating again, and looks back at Ten with what seems like duplicitous curiousity. His head tilts like a big, confused puppy while he chews and swallows the last enormous bite he had taken. 

"Weren't you going to shower? With Kun ge?" Lucas asks seemingly on behalf of everyone, with the way they're all looking at him again. And is that a hint of smugness Ten hears in his voice? You can never tell with Lucas, he's so good at masking things behind a childlike and good-natured exterior. It's not that he's prentending to be those things, just that everything filters through that genuine surface level of his being. Even the deeper, darker things - or in this case, even the strange, smug, knowningness he's subtly exuding. Ten wonders if the others are picking up on it. He's spent so much more time around Lucas lately than they have, what with SuperM promotions, but then again Lucas rooms with Winwin, the '99 line as a whole is tight, and Yangyang has a way of ingratiating himself with all of them. It's entirely possible they're intuiting the same feeling that Ten is from Lucas. His pulse mildly quickens and he's not entirely sure if it's due to the embarrassment of potentially being caught...or excitement for the same reason. Either way, he doesn't know whether Kun is okay with the members having suspicions, so he decides he should deflect. He puts on his best mean, teasing tone with practiced ease. 

"That fatass? He was gonna hog all the water. I'd rather be the last and take a cold shower," now that he thinks about it, he's probably going to need one too if he wants to be able to fall asleep at all tonight. Kun had mentioned continuing their little game later, but realistically, when could that possibly happen? Even when they don't have a very busy promotion schedule, they live half in the dorms and half in the practice room - neither of which affords them any semblance of privacy. Kun's tiny, dark studio is an option, but is a bit cramped and doesn't have a lock on the door (and although that thought causes a pleasant tremor to move through Ten, he knows it's a bad idea). He suddenly realizes the opportunity he's missed and looks sullenly at the tteokbokki he'd traded for a good time. 

"Who are you calling a fatass?" Kun asks in mock offense, and almost simultaneously, before Ten can turn around and make another quip, he snaps the wet towel he'd just been using to dry off his hair. It cracks in the air inches away from Ten's right ear, deafening and thrilling. Ten has to scramble to hide what would have been an embarrassing reaction. 

"ASSHOLE, YOU'LL SCARE THE CATS!" he yells, protectively scooping up Leon who had been sitting on a chair next to him, and was certainly more startled by Ten's yelling than Kun's towel. 

"That was the whole point, Leon was in my seat," Kun happily sits down in the now empty chair next to Ten. Amidst their bickering the rest of the group had resumed eating, chatting and stealing each other's food, Lucas still grinning to himself as he turns his attention back to his meal. Kun leans closer to Ten and mumbles a quiet, insincere apology "Sorry, did I scare the _kitten_?" 

Ten looks scandalized for a second before realizing that even if Kun's low voice could be heard over the general din of conversation, they probably wouldn't think he was referring to Ten. He glances around to see that no one is really paying them much attention before deciding to retaliate. He places his hand on Kun's thigh, right where he had remembered seeing self-inflicted scratch marks through the rip in his jeans earlier. Of course Kun is now wearing comfortable sweatpants, but Ten has a remarkable sense of spatial awareness and is confident he's hit the right spot when he squeezes, lightly digging his nails in through the soft fabric, and Kun's eyebrows knit slightly. He wonders if Kun enjoys the sensation the same way he would, or if it's more of an annoyance to him. In the past, people didn't always appreciate the way he likes to tease and fight back, the way he enjoys inflicting pain, sometimes almost as much as he enjoys receiving it. In the best cases it'd earn him a punishment, but in the worst it would turn them off entirely. Over time he's learned how to test people this way, so he'll know early on if they really only want someone docile and easily submissive - someone he can't be. 

He realizes he's holding his breath as he studies Kun's face for any further reaction. After the initial wince, Kun's expression went blank in a way that's scarier than anger. He's staring back at Ten now with this expressionless visage, and Ten's starting to get nervous. He really should take a breath, and suddenly he does inhale, sharply, as Kun wraps his hand around Ten's wrist to remove the grip from his thigh. Ten tenses in anticipation of some sort of retribution - harsh words, a bruising grip, a pain that's unwelcome in a way he's never been able to explain, as someone who usually welcomes it. 

But Kun still hasn't reacted, aside from moving Ten's hand away. He's still holding his wrist lightly, looking into his eyes. Ten is sure Kun can feel his heartbeat, can see his panicked look and feel the sweat start rise out of his pores where their skin meets. He's terrified that Kun will misread him, think he's excited rather than apprehensive, but he can't blame him. How could he with all that's just happened between them, with the fact that he asked Kun for pain. The fact that even this same exact situation would be fine but something about the mood right now, about the train of his thoughts, the people in his past, is making him feel vulnerable and raw in a way he hates and if Kun does anything _now_ it won't be-- 

Time seems to slow down as Kun adjusts his grip, ever-so-lightly scratching Ten's skin as he moves his hand, and then links their fingers together. Ten looks down at their interlocked hands under the table and back up at Kun, who is looking back at him with his head slightly tilted forward and eyebrows lifted, in an obvious unspoken question of _Are you okay?_

Ten sighs in relief, smiles and blinks, shaking his head at Kun as if to say _it's alright_. Kun quirks an eyebrow like he doesn't fully believe him, and brings their joined hands above the table to deposit Ten's next to his chopsticks. His now free left hand travels along with his eyes up to Ten's head, where he pats a few times before petting his way down to his neck to give a comforting squeeze and trailing down to his back where it settles. Kun does this sometimes, just gently rests his hand on people in a way that is so full of warmth and care, and Ten realizes it's been a while since he's done this to him. He feels his shoulders relax and he smiles at Kun again, in a way that he hopes portrays his gratefulness. 

"Eat, you little thing," Kun smirks at the way Ten's smile turns a bit sheepish as he finally starts eating again. They both know there was an unsaid word in that sentence, that Kun left out the part of the pet name that would be a little too obvious in present company, the one that had Ten blushing in the bathroom more than Kun has ever seen him blush. Kun uses his right hand to deftly open the takeout box in front of him. He uses his teeth to pull his chopsticks out of their paper sheath, and looks puzzled for a second while he figures out how he can break them apart with one hand. He looks back to Ten and shakes the chopsticks at his left hand that's just sitting on the table beside his takeout box. Before Ten knows it he's lifting his hand to grasp the other side of Kun's chopsticks. They both pull and the pair breaks almost perfectly, with a little bit of an uneven split at the very top. Kun laughs and takes the one Ten was holding, taps them on the table to make sure they're lined up, and digs into his food. 

Kun continues to eat like that, and doesn't move his hand from Ten's back for the rest of the meal.

\-----

After dinner, Kun heads back to his room and plops backwards onto his bed. Ten had departed to his own room first, looking sleepy, with Hendery and the cats following behind him. Xiaojun and Winwin lost a riveting battle of rock, paper, scissors and are stuck with dinner cleanup, while Yangyang gets his turn in the shower. This time of night is always a battle against oneself to not fall asleep before it's your turn to wash up, and Kun's glad that he showered first for once. He drowsily realizes a member is missing from his nightly mental checklist of where everyone is. He knows he'll run through it again once everyone has showered and laid down, but it's still going to bother him. As he sits up to go check, he sees the person in question leaning on the frame of his open door. 

"Xuxi? Is everything okay?" Kun is a bit startled by the concerned look Lucas is giving him. It's so rare that he lets his guard down this much. Kun thinks back to dinner and remembers that Lucas had been quieter than normal, starting around the time when... _oh._ When Ten had looked scared. Kun thought he was the only one who had seen it, and immediately caught on and comforted Ten before anyone noticed the change in the atmosphere around them. But he should have known better, remembered how deceptively observant Lucas is. They debuted in NCT together, and he counts Lucas as one of his closest, dearest friends, but even still he's often taken aback by the depth of Lucas's emotional intelligence. 

Lucas had been gazing down at Bella sleeping at the foot of Kun's bed, but he meets Kun's eyes again and there's a hint of the same fear Ten's eyes had held before he successfully covers it with an easy smile. Kun feels like Lucas knows something he doesn't. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just -- I trust you, but just be careful." he hesitates a moment longer like he's going to say something else, but it never comes. He just shrugs and laughs awkwardly before fussing over Bella for a moment and then saying he'd be in his room. He leaves Kun sitting there, confused and a bit worried. 

Kun throws his weight back to plop on his bed again, still reeling at Lucas's words and actions. He looks at Bella like she could read his mind as he thinks, _And what the fuck was that about?_

\-----

Ten lays down and thinks he might not shower tonight with how exhausted he feels. He's not just physically drained but also emotionally, with everything that's happened tonight. 

For the first time, Ten felt like things were moving too fast for him. And then Kun smiled warmly and made time slow down. 

For the first time, he has expectations, and so far Kun is exceeding them. 

He feels a strong fear of disappointment and rejection. In a mix of dread and excitement, he comes to the conclusion that this isn't just one of his playful flings. This is something more. 

He puts his hands over his face and laughs almost maniacally, he's so happy but so scared at the same time. Hendery walks back into the room to find him in this state, and throws a towel at him. 

"It's your turn, psycho," Hendery quips. 

And actually, that's exactly what Ten needs right now, a shower to help him relax. A nice, warm-- 

"By the way, the water's cold already." 

"Noooooo, whyyyyy," Ten laments, finally broken out of his weird hysterics, "I'm just not gonna shower at all!" 

"Ewww," Hendery pretends to be disgusted. 

"Shut up, donkey." 

"You know, they say cleanliness is next to godli--ACK!" Hendery is silenced by a pillow flying into his face. 

"I said. Shut. UP," Ten throws his second pillow at the light switch and is pleased with his accuracy as it actually switches off. Now he's pillowless but that's the least of his worries, and he plops down harshly and tries to go to sleep. 

Within a few minutes, Hendery is snoring. Another several minutes later, Ten is drifting in and out of sleep but keeps waking up from discomfort. His face feels itchy and dry, his lack of pillows is hurting his neck, but he's just pulled under into sleep enough that he feels like he can't get up. 

In this fuzzy state he thinks he hears the door creak open, footsteps approach. He definitely feels the bed dip down as someone sits near him. A whisper reaches his ears. 

"Don't worry, it's just me. You can't sleep like this, right? Tell me if this is too warm." 

Ten feels a warm, damp washcloth on his face. It gently sweeps over his skin, paying special attention to his eyes where the makeup is heaviest. When it's done, he feels a hand slide behind his head and lift while a pillow is placed underneath it. 

"Thanks, Xuxi," Ten manages as he drifts, so comfortable now. 

"You're welcome. Be careful, okay?" 

Lucas doesn't get a reply, but he trusts Ten as much as he trusts Kun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo, we have some angst. I couldn't help myself, it just happened. The next chapter will go into a bit of Ten's past, but don't worry, not all of it is negative.
> 
> I know I said I would keep the seamless pov switches from the last chapter, but this more blocked out way worked better for this part in particular. 
> 
> Also, did you think it was Kun at the end? Yeah, so did I. 🙃
> 
> P. S. Your comments give me life and motivation 💕

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo, there it is. I want to write at least one more chapter of this. I might switch POV's so I can wax poetic about Kun too. <3 
> 
> Let me know what you think of my very first fic!


End file.
